Topic:
Caliph

Caliph – What is a Caliph?

Answers:

The word “Caliph” is a transcribed version of the Arabic word meaning “successor.” Following the death of the Prophet Muhammad, his father-in-law Abu Bakr succeeded him as the self-imposed leader of the Muslims, becoming the first Caliph.

The position of Caliph in a Caliphate is the equivalent to the “head of state” of a country in modern times. The title was abolished not long after the First World War.